Combination table and ironing board



April 23, 1 929. w. A. MELROSE COMBINATION TABLE AND IRONING BOARD Filed Jan. 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet April 23, 1929. w. A., MELROSE d Jan. 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

UNITED STAIRS l l1,110,179 PATENT oFFicE.

WILLIAM A. MELROSE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR T ELIZABETH MELROSE, OF

DETROIT, MICHIGAN COMBINATION TABLE .AND IRONING BOARD.

Application filed January 3, 1928. Serial No. 248,885.

f service position hy n. simple niovenient ot the tahle top,

Another object ot the invention is to locate f' the ironing hoard while in the service position at a position partly overhanging a side oit the table, so that full and immediate access may he had to the ironing;l hoard withont interference hy the structure ot the tahle.

A iinal hut nevertheless important object ot the .invention is to construct thc novel combination with a gearingoit utniost simplicity, enabling the structure to he produced at .little greater expense than the tahle itself.

lVith the above Objectis in view and any others that may suggestthcinselvcs in the specilication and claims to follow, a better understanding ot the invention may he `gained hy reference to the accompanying drawin gs, in whicl 1 ,Figure l. is a side elevation ot the novel combination as applied to a drop-leali` style oit table, the remote .lealE heinekshown dropped Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 ot' Fignre l, showin` onl the left-hand side a dotted line indication ot' the changed position of the table top for the purposes ot the iron- :ing hoard;

F 3 is aplan View, partly broken away,y i

mechanism has been more or less involved,y and has required that the table be inade ot' a special construction to aecoinn'unlaie the ironing, hoard. Also, in so1ne. ;ases the'developlnent ot the ironing' hoard troni the tihle required. a great amount, et room, so that the ironinghoard could he considered much in the wayoil persons passing the table. mind, it has heen my intention to provide a structure of extreme simplicity and coin-` pactness while in use either' as a table or as an ironing` liioard, and my structure is designed to t'uliill the ohjeets contemplated :ihove lo the fullest e.\:tent. i

Referring speci tieally t0 the drawings, l0 denotes the sides, lll the ends, l2 the top, 13 the legs, and 1.4i; the drop-leaves ot a typical household tzihle. The design oit the table may he ot any suitable character, except that the construction ot the top l2 he permanent hut yin part, the greater portion 12 thereof being separateand adapted to he swung; relative to the saine through the agency oit-hinge straps 15 at the ends. Thus, the tahle 'top portion l2 may he swung clear over to assume a position extended from the talole proper as indicated hy the dotted lines in Figure 2, and iull lines in Figure 8. `In either ease, the portion 12n iorn'is a continu ation ot the 'permanent top l2. lVhen closed, the'portion 12a rests on the table ends l'l, hut when it swungv over to extended position, it rests on thcupper edge. ot the corri-lsponding-in this ense the lett-handdrop-leat 141;. This expedient gives the portion 12 the nee ssary support that it niay hear the weight ot clothes or other articles 'laid thereon when ironing is to he done, hut

I may choose to rest the portion l2 on a projection or shelf suitablyk positioned, in case I apply the swingahle top to a table de void ot drop-leavesn TiVith, the tzihle top portion l2 swung to extended position as just dcserihed, a clear view ot the ironing hoard 1G is had. As noted, this hoard ot the length ot the (zahle, and ordilnirily rests in pockets 17 cut down from the tahle ends li. The hoard is reinforced iniderneath with hearing hlocl-:s 16 Ytor a pair ot arches 18 extended longrin tndinally under the hoard. These arches are of metal and yin the nature ol" rods, and are lornied ,with terminal bends 18a' which in turn have short oiitward bends entering` the lV ith these and other deficiencies in Vironing' board is desired, thi b ends l1 of the table. The arches 1S furnish a support for the ironing board in the nature of parallel links, so that the board may be swung up from its inactive position in the pockets 1T to a high position above the table, as clearly indicated by dotted lines in Figures l and Q. At this juncture, the bends 1Sn at the forward part of the movement strike the legs i3, as indicated in Figure 2, preventing, the assembly from swinging 'forward. Since the assembly has swung beyond the point of its greatest height, the board will find a rest and will be firm when weighted with articles to be ironed or with the iron if it is in operation.

At the time that the board is in service position, the extended table top can still serve to receive articles to be ironed or which have already been ironed, thus providinga handy place for deposit. At the same time, the drop-leaf 14 in the vicinity of the eleyated ironing` board may be used forv the same purpose7 when in the posi A on .noted in Figure 2. However, if close access to the s leaf may also be dropped. lt will now e apparent that the elevated ironing board overhangs the side of the table to a marked extent, which enables the operator te d close to it without interference by the table itself, such as would be the case in the event that the ironing hoard were to have its service positionV and the extended portion 12a of the latter swung back to close the table. ln such event, l provide an eye 19 on the under side of the portion 12a which is engageable by a latch hook 2O outside 011e of the table ends to hold the portion l2@ down against tilting or vibrating movements suiqferedv by the table. Thus, to'all intents and purposes, the table is again a complete'drop-leaf structure, without any apparent suggestionv of its transforming capacity.

.lVhile various means may be employed to retain the drop leafvesrin elevated position, I believe it best to drop a pivotal link 2l from each leaf, curving'the link in the direction of the table sides 10. Below each table side I provide a cross rail 22, and attach a vertical plate 23 at a medial point of the side 10 and rail Q9 by screws or other suitable means. rllhe plate Qi?) is formed with a. vertical slot Q5 through which the link Q1 is Vaflapted to move as the corresponding drop-leaflfY is swung', the bottom of the slot forming a support for the link. As an additional support for the inward swinging of the links I add a spacer board 26 between the rails 22, as clearly shown in Figure 2. Near the inner end of each link 2l l out a slotv 21a from above, in which Vis yadaptedte fall a bar 27 pivoted at 28 near one end of the rail 22, this bar preferably having its free end inwardly1 bent as indicated at 27a to serve as a lever.' IThus, when a given dropleaf is down, the har 2T merely rests on the link 2l; however, when the drop-leaf is swung;h outwardly thebar falls into a slot 21 as soon as the leaf has attained the final or horizontal y'iosition. the slot n being. of course, positioned to correspond. rlhe leaf is now locked in elevated position7 and no attention was required for its mechanism during its swing, as the mechanism operated automatically when the leaf was raised nanually. Conversely, to drop the leaf, all that is necessary is to slightly lift the lever end of the bar Q'lwhen one has access thereto from the opening` in the table, at which juncture the leaf will drop'ot' itself. However, in case the droppin` of the leaf is desired lo be done from the outside of the table, the bar itself may just as conveniently be touched in the lifting;v direction with the linger, in which event the leaf will become released for descent. he gearing for the drop-leaves is noted as being simple, and positive, its main advantage being that it will retain the leaf in horizontal position witl1- out permitting it to sag or weaken in any manner due to an imperfect support. The weight of the leaf or contents thereofvbears through the link upon the bar 2T from a lateral direction, and the bar in turn lies against the plate 23 which is stout enough to stand any reasonable strain without occasioning any loss of motion or adjustment.

lt will be seen that I have provided a simple and very compact structure for the purposes intended. Grdinarily the table can function fully for any purpose intended for it without the suggestion of a handicap offered by the presence of the ironing board feature; on the other hand, when the table hasbeen opened to reveal the ironing board, not a great deal of additional room is required laterally of the table for the accommodation of the extended top thereof. lWhen the ironing board is in service itoccupies a comparatively small amount of eXtra lateral space, so that persons may pass` in the regionof the table without feeling that any part thereof is in the way. At the saine time, the` elevated board forms a strong and handy applia-nce'for the work of ironing, and does not require any stand of its own. k'lo levers or other contrivances need he. handled to operate the ironing` board, and no springs or delicate parts are involved to make the action thereof uncertain or subject to disorder. W'hen the board is not required, it is fully concealed and kept clean, and no special place is required to keep the saine. In conclusion, the `parts employed are few and simple, and the cost of the table is increased but slightly as compared to the value of its major features when separately considered.

I claim: y

l. A combination table and ironing board comprising a permanent table-top section, a complementary table-top section swingable about the permanent section to an extended position in the same plane from the outer edge of the latter, asupport for said complementary sect-ion when extended, an ironing board under the Complementary section, and means to elevate said ironing board to a service position above said table top see tion when the complementary section has been swung.

2. A eombination table and ironing board Comprising a permanent table-top section, a eomplementary table-top section swingable from the permanent section to an extended position in the same plane from the outer edge of the latter7 a drop-leaf With its top edge forming a support for said complementary section When extended, an ironing board under the complementary section, and

f means to elevate said ironing board to a service position when the complementary section has been sWunO.

3. A' combination table and ironing board comprising a table top, a supporting frame therefor, end members thereon, an ironing board under said top, means for opening a portion of said top along one side of the table, and a pair of swingable parallel links pivoted to the end members of 'the table for the support for the ironing board and for elevating the same with a lateral motion in the direction olf its width and said side, whereby to cause the ironing board to be above the plane of the table when elevated.

4l, A combination table and ironing board comprising a table,` a top therefor, legs therefor, a portion of the top adapted to swing open, an ironing board under ysaid portion and longitudinal oit the table7 a pair of parallel links hung from the ironing board and pivoted in the ends of thetable,

and the legs in one side of the table serving as abntinents for the links opposite the same to rest said ironing board in elevated position beyond the highest point in the swing olf said links.

In testimony whereof I a'Hix my signature.

WILLIAM A. MELROSE. 

